Hilmi Ziya Ülken

Hilmi Ziya Ülken (1901–1974) was a Turkish scholar and writer who had an influential role in the development of sociological and philosophical views in Turkey. In addition to his scientific work, he produced literary work, including poems.

Early life and education Hilmi Ziya was born in Constantinople on 3 October 1901. His father, Mehmet Ziya Bey, was a faculty member at Darulfünun, the precursor of Istanbul University, where he taught chemistry and served as the dean of the School of Dentistry and Pharmaceutics. He taught sociology at the Istanbul High School, where one of his pupils was Pertev Naili Boratav. He also taught philosophy and sociology at the Galatasaray High School.

In 1933 Hilmi Ziya went to Berlin for a research visit.

Hilmi Ziya joined Ankara University in the 1950s and became the dean of Faculty of Theology in 1959, but he resigned from office soon. He retired from his teaching post in 1973.

Following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 Ülken adopted a conservative version of the republicanism. Around 1926 he argued that if nationalism recognizes civil and political rights, it becomes the most modern political regime. His another book was İnsani Vatanperverlik (1933; Turkish: Humanist Patriotism) in which he discussed humanistic universalism and nationalism and attempted to present a solution to the problem between idealism and realism. One of his most known books was Türkiye'de Çağdaş Düşünce Tarihi (1966; Turkish History of Modern Thought in Turkey) in which he examined the history of thought in Turkey. The other periodicals in which he published articles are as follows: Dergâh, Her Ay, Türk Yurdu, Yeni İnsanlık, Türk Düşüncesi, and Hareket.

Ülken cofounded and published İnsan (Turkish: Man) magazine together with Nurullah Ataç, Sabahattin Eyüboğlu and Celaleddin Ezine from 1938 to 1943.

Memberships and activities

Hilmi Ziya established the Philosophy Association together with Mehmet Servet in 1928 which was the first in its category in the Republic of Turkey. However, it was closed in 1930. Ülken participated in the Congress held in Oslo in September 1949. His wife was Hatice Ülken, and they had a daughter.